The Persistent Feeling of Being Watched

"Just kidding, Mr. Kishimoto. No need to take it seriously," Kakashi said calmly.

"Oh, oh." Shinichi Kishimoto was still bewildered. He felt like he could not keep up with Lord Tenzō's train of thought.

"Mr. Kishimoto, I need to inspect your room. It may cause some damage to your house. You do not mind, do you?"

"Not at all, of course not." Shinichi Kishimoto shook his head like a rattle-drum.

Kakashi slowly circled the walls of the room, occasionally knocking on them and carefully listening to the sound of his hand striking the wall.

When he reached one spot, a short blade suddenly appeared in Kakashi's hand.

Shinichi Kishimoto saw a flash of cold light, and Kakashi's blade had already sunk into the wall, leaving only its hilt exposed.

"The wall is hollow behind here. There is a compartment here that could hide someone," Kakashi explained.

"Huh?"

Seeing Shinichi Kishimoto hesitate, Kakashi found it strange. "Could it be... Mr. Kishimoto knows about this compartment?"

Shinichi Kishimoto stammered, "I built this compartment. It was for... for..."

Kakashi pulled out the short blade. Seeing Shinichi Kishimoto's flushed face, how could he not understand what the compartment was for?

Kakashi's expression turned odd. "I heard Lord Kishimoto has a house full of wives and concubines. I did not expect that still would not satisfy you. You are truly full of energy, my lord."

Shinichi Kishimoto modestly waved his hand. "Not at all. Lord Tenzō, you flatter me."

"It is just that I get tired of the food at home, so once in a while, I want to sample what the restaurants outside have to offer."

Shinichi Kishimoto revealed a lecherous smile, and Kakashi gave him a look that said he understood perfectly.

"Since Mr. Kishimoto knows about this compartment, then if someone were hiding here, you surely would have noticed," Kakashi said.

Shinichi Kishimoto turned serious. "Lord Tenzō, you are right. Whenever I feel someone watching me, this compartment is always the first place I check."

Kakashi nodded lightly at that and continued inspecting the other places.

After finishing the inspection, Kakashi was somewhat puzzled.

There was nowhere in the room where someone could hide, nor was there any trace of chakra. What exactly was going on?

And what was the other party's purpose in doing this?

Seeing Kakashi standing there in thought, Shinichi Kishimoto asked expectantly, "Lord Tenzō, did you find anything?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Not for the moment. If someone truly has been watching you day and night, then they are extremely cautious."

"Then..." Shinichi Kishimoto looked somewhat disappointed.

He had thought an expert from Konoha would solve the problem directly, but just like the ninjas he had hired before, there were no discoveries at all!

Kakashi said, "Mr. Kishimoto, there is no need to panic. I will remain by your side for the next few days."

"If that person appears again, I will definitely restrain them."

Only after hearing Kakashi's forceful words did Shinichi Kishimoto finally feel relieved.

"Whew, then I will have to trouble you, Lord Tenzō."

"I will call some servants in to arrange lodging for you." Shinichi Kishimoto turned around, preparing to summon a few servants.

"There is no need. If you arrange lodging for me, it may alert the enemy," Kakashi said indifferently.

"Then where will you be resting these next few..." Shinichi Kishimoto turned back, only to discover that Kakashi beside him had already vanished.

"Whew, Lord Tenzō seems quite skilled, and he is very confident too. I hope he can solve this problem for me."

Shinichi Kishimoto gave a bitter smile. Just as he was about to go to bed, he glanced at the documents scattered carelessly across his desk and recalled Kakashi's words.

"Uh..."

After hesitating, Shinichi Kishimoto neatly arranged the messy documents before extinguishing the oil lamp and climbing onto his tatami.

Kakashi was currently hiding in the compartment he had just discovered, calmly observing the room through the hole left by his blade.

Yet after an entire night, nothing unusual happened.

In the morning, sunlight spilled into the room.

Shinichi Kishimoto stretched comfortably and got up from his tatami.

Kakashi's figure appeared before Shinichi Kishimoto once more, scaring him into falling back onto the tatami again.

"Whew, it is Lord Tenzō. You scared me to death!" Shinichi Kishimoto complained.

Kakashi explained, "Sorry. We ninjas make no sound when we walk. Usually, we walk while holding Shift."

Shinichi Kishimoto looked utterly confused. "What shift?"

Kakashi did not know what he had just said either. Looking at Kishimoto, he asked, "Mr. Kishimoto, did you feel like someone was watching you last night?"

Shinichi Kishimoto thought back, then said, "It seems I still felt like someone was staring at me."

That had been careless!

Kakashi slapped his forehead. He himself had watched Kishimoto all night. Who knew whether the feeling of being watched had been caused by him?

"I understand. I will continue standing guard nearby. Mr. Kishimoto, rest assured," Kakashi said.

Shinichi Kishimoto nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Tenzō."

"It is my duty. Also, this is for you."

Kakashi took a pink object from his clothes and tossed it to Kishimoto before turning and leaving the room.

After catching it and taking a closer look, Shinichi Kishimoto could not help but blush with embarrassment.

"Th-this thing... How did I forget it in the compartment..."

For several days in a row, Kakashi kept watch near Shinichi Kishimoto every day, but he still found nothing.

Whenever he asked Shinichi Kishimoto, the man stubbornly insisted that someone was watching him.

Kakashi frowned deeply. He had found no evidence whatsoever to prove that the person Kishimoto spoke of even existed.

No matter how strong the other party was, they should have left behind some trace.

As for someone so strong that Kakashi could not sense them at all?

What the hell, was a powerhouse like Madara really going to sit here for a month just to watch an ordinary person like you work?

And then kindly tidy up your desk for you when he had nothing better to do?

If you said Jiraiya came here to gather material, that might be somewhat plausible...

He was getting sidetracked. In short, Kakashi believed that all of this was probably just Shinichi Kishimoto's imagination.

"Mr. Kishimoto, forgive my bluntness, but could your so-called feeling of being watched simply be excessive sensitivity?"

Kakashi stared straight into Shinichi Kishimoto's eyes. "I have observed you for several days, and nothing unusual has happened."

Shinichi Kishimoto hurriedly said, "Impossible, someone really is watching me in secret!"

"Lord Tenzō, you must believe me!"

As if recalling something, Shinichi Kishimoto quickly added, "Right, it is not just me. Some members of the household and servants have also felt like someone was watching them!"

Kakashi's gaze turned sharp, and he was somewhat angry. "Mr. Kishimoto, why did you not tell me such important information sooner?"